, 1887-02-24

blasphemy. Many of them wrote hin
to express their regret. The letter,
came from clergymen and mothers O
boys, who gently reconstructed and
begged him to abandon the vicious
habit, not only for the sake OF his own
soul but for the benefit of their sons
who admired him 30 much and were
inclined to initiate even the ices of q
great soldier.
1t is due to General Sheridan that
this false impression should be cor
rected, for he Is not habitually profane
and never swears except upon rare oc-
casions of extraordinary provocation.
Then he does not use the vulgar bias
| phemy Of the barroom, but coins
phrases of picturesque and striking
originality, which produce an instanta-
neous effect and q lasting impression.
His words fall like pile driver. He
does not use them for the sake Of
swearing, nor from the force OF habit,
and never utters the same oath twice,
but to emphasize his language and to
supply a force which the poverty Of
his native tongue lacks.
On some supreme occasion, at q
great crisis or emergency, when the
souls of his men were to be aroused,
the ordinary adjective would strike the
| soldier with no more force than fall.
ing leaf, and the phrases of the draw.
| ing room would not even reach their
ears. So much is true of Sheridan,
that at such times his tongue would
frame sermon in u single sentence
that never failed to arrest panic and
inspire with courage men who would
have been deaf to the ordinary tone
and manner OF remonstrance and COM
! mand.
The retreat at Winchester was one
OF these occasions. A member of his
staff, Gen. George A. Forsythe, Or
SANDY" as he was better known, who
rode the famous twenty miles by Sher-
idan's side but did not get into the
immortal poem, may be considered
pretty good authority. He told me
that when the general met the first
group of stragglers, in full rctrt at, and
was informed by them that the enemy
had captured his camp during his alb
sence, he turned white with rage and
modification, and exclaimed in tone
that was not to BIZ misunderstood
| tIlS5C vi yOi ulC lOU CoW-
ards follow me, for III sleep in that
camp tonight or III sleep in hell"
That was the terrible oath" the
author of "Sheridan's Ride" referred
to, and it had the effect that was in
tended. The soldiers knew that "Lit-
tie Phil" was rightfully in earnest, and
there wasn't man in all the shattered
army who wouldn't share his bed.
asked Gen. Sheridan the other
day il he knew the author Of the
poem.
eyes," he replied, "I knew him
we'll. first met Mr.. Read at the head
quarters of Gen. Rosccrans, just be-
fore the battle of Stone River. He
was theguest of the general and re.
mained in camp quite u while, SO we all
got toknow him."
"De you know how he came to write
the poem?"
"Yes," said the general, 81 have
heard him tell about it several times.
There have been number of stories
published about the origin of the
poem, but will tell you tho true one,
Just as Mr.. Read told it to me. Did
you know that James +. Murdock
suggested the idea?"
"Murdock, the elocutionist?'
"The very man. He was an actor
at one OF the Cincinnati theatres at
the time, where / had known HIM
Murdock has always been great
friend of mine, and am glad to- know
the old man keeps so well. see that
he was able to appear at the memo
rial services in honor OF Chief Justice
Chase the other day. He lest son
at the battle of Missionary Ridge
Murdock did. The boy was in my
command, and the old man came
down to get the body don't you know
The enemy occupied the place where
the boy was buried, and Mr.
Murdoch remained Al guest ut my
headquarters until we recovered the
ground. He used to ride the lines
with me every day, and always used
my black horse, 'Rienzi'-the one that
was afterwards called Winchester,
and the same that had under me or
that twenty.mile calter. No man evel
straddled better animal, and ole
Murdock became very fond OF him
He was horse that it was an honor tt
mount, you see, and in that poem
Read gave him good send of.
"Well, things were very exciting
down around Chattanooga those days
and Mr.. Murdoch saw good deal o
war. On Sunday he always used tC
rccite poems to the troops arount
headquarters, and there was one o
Browning's that the boys never missed
n chance to call for. 1t was grea
favorite with me, don't you know
just as it was with the soldiers, and w
never let the old man off without read
ing it. 1t was the story OF the rid
from Ghent to Aix---you remember it
"Well, you see, after the battle o
Cedar Creek there was published il
Harper's Weekly story of my rid